First, under the Sign category of DISTRESS AMONG NATIONS — According to the New York Times, President Trump is expected to overrule his top national security advisers and decline to certify the Iran nuclear agreement, a decision that would reopen a volatile political debate on Iran but is likely to leave in place the deal negotiated by the Obama administration. By declining to certify Iran’s compliance, Mr. Trump would essentially kick it to Congress to decide whether to reimpose punitive economic sanctions. Trump’s expected move would allow him to tell supporters that he had disavowed the accord, while bowing to the reality that the United States would isolate itself from its allies if it sabotaged a deal with which Iran is viewed as complying.

Second, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMORS OF WARS — According to the AFP, a senior US general says he believes the controversial Russian military exercises last month involved “more than 40,000” troops, vastly more than Moscow acknowledged, but that the event did not involve a simulated nuclear strike. General Ben Hodges, commander of US ground forces in Europe, said Russia split up the West 2017 drills into smaller events to flout international agreements on reporting military exercises. The Russian defence ministry said the joint drills with Belarus on NATO’s eastern flank involved just 12,700 troops and were “strictly defensive” in nature, but the show of strength caused consternation in Poland and the Baltic states, which only broke free of the Kremlin’s grip some 25 years ago.

Third, today, under the Sign category of DISTRESS AMONG NATIONS — According to The Associated Press, the Trump administration has acknowledged that it is in “direct contact” with the North Korean government and has asked Pyongyang whether they would like to discuss their missile and nuclear tests.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Beijing, “We have lines of communication with Pyongyang — we’re not in a blackout. We have three channels open.” According to a report in August, the U.S. and North Korea had been engaged in quiet discussions for months with regular diplomatic contact between the U.S. envoy for North Korea policy and a senior North Korean diplomat at the country’s U.N. mission.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS — According to The Mirror, An asteroid the size of a house will pass very close to Earth later this month, giving scientists a chance to try out a new planetary defence system. The asteroid, known as 2012 TC4, could come as close as 4,200 miles from the Earth’s surface – well within the ring of geostationary satellites – on October 12. A NASA program scientist said, “We are using this asteroid flyby to test the worldwide asteroid detection and tracking network, assessing our capability to work together in response to finding a potential real asteroid threat.” The US space agency is putting in place measures to deflect space rocks that are found to be on a collision course with Earth.

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of TURMOIL IN ISRAEL & THE MIDDLE EAST — According to Breitbart, Israel’s Mossad chief Yossi Cohen has called on the world to “act now” to prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb. Cohen said, “Today’s Iran is the North Korea of yesterday, and so we need to act now so that we don’t wake up to [an Iranian] bomb.” Israeli security officials have warned against taking a hard line against Iran, fearing that Israel will make the same mistakes the U.S. did by entering Iraq in pursuit of WMDs in the 2000s. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said, “Israel will not tolerate an Iranian military presence in Syria or Lebanon. An [Iranian] military presence endangers not just us, but also our Arab neighbors.”

You can read these stories in more detail and get more prophecy-related news at SecondComingHerald.com.

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Jeremiah 31:23-26 which reads in part: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks. For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from the Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary, edited by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

Jeremiah 31:23-26 announces the future prosperity of Israel, and three points are made.

First Jeremiah prophesies of the return of an old saying: “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities.” By Jeremiah’s time this saying apparently had ceased to be used. It may have seen usage in the days of David and Solomon and then died out after the kingdom split after the death of Solomon. In the future that saying will return, at a time “when [God will] restore their fortunes.” In other words, when the final restoration of Israel takes place, the people will again say, “The LORD bless you, O abode of righteousness, O holy hill.”

Next Jeremiah mentions two reasons for the return of this old saving. The first is that God will bring prosperity back to Israel. The second is that God will have satisfied “the weary ones and refreshed everyone who languishes.”

Third, in verse 26 is a puzzling interlude in which Jeremiah states, “At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.” This shows that Jeremiah 30-31 was revealed to Jeremiah in a dream. He awakens at verse 26 and points out that his sleep “was pleasant” to him. For the first 29 chapters of the book he has been prophesying negative statements about his people and about his country. But now this has changed, and the Book of Consolation gives a positive rather than a negative note. Because these truths about Israel’s future were so encouraging, the dream was indeed pleasant to him, and not sorrowful. In fact, earlier in the book, when God revealed to Jeremiah some of the curses to fall upon Israel, the prophet wept and complained to God. But here, in this section, he is blessed because he is able to predict sweet things.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from Billy Graham. He said, “The Second Coming of Christ will be so revolutionary that it will change every aspect of life on this planet. Christ will reign in righteousness. Disease will be arrested. Death will be modified. War will be abolished. Nature will be changed. Man will live as it was originally intended he should live.”

Let’s Pray

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If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here is the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.